Mauve 1/48 P-40N
My first completion of 2021 is the old Mauve P-40N kit that as has been collecting dust on my stash shelf. This model represents Kansas City Kitty III piloted by Capt Robert H. White, of the 8th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group, November, 1943. By the end of WW II, he would earn a Silver Star and be awarded the Distinguish Flying Cross four times. He was credited with 9 aircraft destroyed while serving with the 49th FG. Born in Michigan, he listed Kansas City as his home of record which probably accounts for the naming of his aircraft. However, during the same time period there was a very popular stage play titled Kansas City Kitty which may also had some influence on his aircraft's name.
The old Mauve kit can still be found at model shows and is a decent kit but lacks some of the finer details of current offerings. I build this kit mostly OOB, but did add an Ultracast seat and nylon thread for the antenna. The decals are a mixed bag of Hasagawa for the Kitty and Fundekals for the stars and bars. Paints were a combination of Tamiya acrylics, Model Master enamels, and Model Car Works for the OD.
11 additional images. Click to enlarge.
Another Gem from the Bebout/Curtis factory. Nice job!
Great job on a great kit; an oldie but goodie. Good work, Tom.
What a start for 2021!
Great job, Tom!
Another Bebout 'Hawk! Great build!
Well done an nice weathering
A fantastic start of 2021, Tom
Great paintwork and weathering.
Ah, P-40's. Looks great, Tom! Nice base also.
Great looking build Tom. Is this the start of another squadron?
Great job! Being in KC this gives me inspiration to find a P-40N for the stash. Liked.
Nice one Tom. I’ve never seen those marking and that was a good back story.
Never had the Mauve kits but I remember when they came out they were “The Late Model P-40” kit to have. I believe the factory was destroyed in the 1995 Kobe earthquake. Never came back.
Nice, Tom. You can never have too many P-40s.
Nice way to start the year. It's really too bad Mauve didn't get the chance to show us what they'd become. But these P-40s are good. With a resin cockpit and a vacuform canopy, they still compete with anything else.
Tom, @tom-bebout
Looks like you have done it again, and showed us all how to make a P-40 in proper fashion... It looks very good buddy. Where do you get the Model Car Works lacquers from ? I'm an old dinosaur and I love my enamels... but you know what happened to the Model Master line of paints. I have picked up some of the MRP acrylic lacquers but have yet to try them out...
One more question: What did you use for the PSP or Marsden mats ?
I definitely pressed the "Liked" button. You did a magnificent job here and I liked reading the story behind this plane too. I have never seen this one built up before. P-40's, P-47's and P-39's look so cool with the tail section painted white. Sometimes they painted the leading edges of the wings in the color too.
Well done my friend. Maybe we will se a P-47 soon... 😉